27th Season Opener:
Yves de Bouteiller's Romeo and Juliet

World Premiere, October 21-23, 2005

Providence, RI -
Festival Ballet Providence opens its 28th Anniversary Season October 21-23, 2005, at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center with the world premiere of Yves de Bouteiller's production of Romeo and Juliet

Commissioned by Festival Ballet Providence Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric, Mr. de Bouteiller is creating a tailor-made production of Romeo & Juliet for the Providence-based company that focuses on the essence of Shakespeare=s tragic love story. Mr. de Bouteiller has been inspired by the company=s 22 dancers to create a work that is both athletic and passionate, and clearly follows the narrative in Shakespeare=s play.

Mr. de Bouteiller utilizes contemporary ballet to portray the romance, rivalry, anger and despair of Shakespeare=s play through dance. Where other dance productions of Romeo & Juliet have included prolonged sections of mime to convey dialogue, this one advances the plot through the dancers movements and actions. Sergei Prokofiev=s score, which is one of the most magnificently emotional works for the dance stage, has been tailored to give more focus to the action most important to the story. Mr. de Bouteiller's approach is to make a highly athletic, passionate work that is compelling, with high energy and intense pacing.

No production of Romeo & Juliet is complete without the sword-fighting scenes, and this one plans to deliver. Owner and head coach of the Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club, Alex Ripa, joined the company during rehearsals for several coaching sessions to serve as advisor to Mr. de Bouteiller and the dancers, and make the scenes more realistic and believable.

In recent years, the company has been no stranger to the creation of new works made especially for its talented dancers. Providence audiences have reacted positively to Mr. Djuric=s programming and have embraced recent new works including Viktor Plotnikov=s Carmen and The Widow's Broom, and Gianni di Marco=s Schéhérazade.

Mr. Djuric is thrilled to open the season with this world premiere production. He thinks of all the art forms, and believe dance is the most passionate and says what nothing else can. So what better ballet to bring to our stage but Shakespeare=s most tragic love story? It=s a story that transcends the ages, that we all can relate to. Our company has grown and improved greatly in the last five years. This is a production with many great characters and challenging roles, and our dancers are ready.

Choreographer Yves de Bouteiller noted, ADuring early rehearsals, the ballet is coming together with great pace and excitement. The dancers have taken their roles and brought something special to them. For example, each Juliet will be different, but each will give a wonderful, believable interpretation of the role. I have especially enjoyed the chance to work with Alex Ripa to make the sword-fights as realistic as possible, but with the extra flair a dancer with great physical ability can give. He's been an incredible asset to the production and has added a realistic look to the fight scenes. I can=t wait to see the audience reaction.

Completing the production will be new sets designed by Alan Pickart and new costumes designed by Ka Yan Kan. They are no strangers to artistic collaboration, having worked on recent Festival Ballet Providence world premiere productions, Carmen, The Widow's Broom and Schéhérazade.

This world premiere production of Romeo and Juliet is made possible in part by our sponsors, The Providence Journal, University Orthopedics (underwriting the choreography), season television sponsor NBC10, ClearChannel Communications, anonymous donors underwriting the use of Prokofiev=s score and set design/construction, and ongoing operating support from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the VMA Arts & Cultural Center.

Romeo & Juliet premieres October 21-23th at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center, 1 Avenue of the Arts, with performances at 7:30 pm Friday, 7:30 pm on Saturday, and 2:30 pm on Sunday. Reserved tickets (priced from $15 to $60) and season subscriptions are available by contacting www.tickets.com, 800.919.6272, the VMA Arts & Cultural Center (401.272.4862) during box office hours. For additional information about the production, send email inquiries to info@festivalballet.com. Senior, Child and Group discounts are available.

Special related events:

Up CLOSE at VMA, a learning opportunity for Festival Ballet Providence audience members, was inaugurated last spring, and features pre-curtain programs to meet two dancers from the company and to learn behind the scenes details about the evening=s production. This 15-minute program begins 45 minutes before the performance in the right front orchestra section of the theater. Ushers will welcome audience members who wish to be part of this informative addition to Festival Ballet Providence main-stage performances. UP CLOSE at VMA will take place on Saturday(6:45 pm) and Sunday (1:45 pm).

SELECTED BIOS

Yves de Bouteiller (Choreography)

Yves de Bouteiller received his training in his native France, where he studied primarily with Marie-Laure Medova in Toulouse and subsequently with Robert Bestonso, Raymond Franchetti and Rosella Hightower. In 1979 he began his professional career in Europe as a soloist and principal dancer with such companies as Ballet du Nord in France and Maurice Bejart=s Ballet of the 20th Century in Belgium. In 1989 he became a principal dancer with the Milwaukee Ballet. In 1990 he extended his artistic talents to choreography. In 1991 he founded Ballet Wisconsin, formerly known as Et toi, tu danses: In 1995 he opened the Dance Center, the official school of Ballet Wisconsin. From 2000 to 2003 Mr. de Bouteiller served as artistic director of the Channel Islands Ballet, Ventura County=s former professional ballet company. Since 2003 Mr. de Bouteiller has focused his career on choreography. His choreography and teaching have been recognized internationally. Mr. de Bouteiller=s creation of Romeo & Juliet will mark his second visit to Festival Ballet Providence where he previously set his version of Alice in Wonderland.

Alan Pickart (Set and Lighting Design)

Alan Pickart is a member of the theatre faculty at Rhode Island College, having relocated from Niagara University in New York. A designer and technical director, Pickart has created designs for dance that have been seen around the country and abroad, working with the Tampa Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Columbia City Ballet and the European Ballet in London. He holds a B.F.A. from the University of Florida and an M. F. A. in set design from the University of South Carolina. Other work includes three seasons as a designer and production manager with Artpark in Lewiston, New York. Alan has also served as a production manager and technical director for several facilities, including the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the David Falk Theatre in Florida. Alan's set designs have graced the Festival Ballet Providence stage for productions of Carmen and Schéhérazade.

Ka Yan Kan (Costume Design)

Originally from Hong Kong, Ka Yan moved to Rhode Island in 1990. She graduated from URI in December 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Merchandising and Design, concentrating in apparel design and historic costume research. She minored in theater, concentrating in costume design. During her time at URI, Ka Yan worked on a number of productions and designed costumes for student productions. Ms. Kan has been co-owner of Mehndi in East Greenwich since 1999. Last season she created the costumes for world premieres of The Widows's Broom and Schéhérazade. This Ka Yan=s second season as Wardrobe Coordinator for Festival Ballet Providence.

Sergei Prokofiev (Composer)

Born in 1891 in the Ukraine, Sergei Prokofiev was a child prodigy, in both piano performance and composition. He left Russia after the 1917 Russian Revolution, living in the US from 1918 to 1921, followed by a long period in Europe. He finally returned to Russia for good in 1932. Though Romeo and Juliet was originally commissioned by Russia=s Kirov Theater in 1934, the tense political situation caused the commission to be withdrawn, and so Prokofiev turned to the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. There was so much opposition to his approach by the dancers, that Prokofiev offered his score elsewhere, and was first set for the dance stage in Czechoslovakia (1938). It finally received its Russian premiere in 1941 by the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg. Early versions contrived a happy ending, where Father Lawrence intervened in Romeo=s suicide. Remaining true to Shakespeare and his ending, the Kirov production as choreographed by Leonid Lavrosky, and starring Galina Ulanova and Konstantin Sergeyev, was a sensation. It finally became a part of the Bolshoi Theater=s repertory in 1946 after the Second World War, where it became a favorite for many years. Other composers have created scores for Romeo and Juliet, including Berlioz, and Delius, but no other has predominated as one of the great theatrical productions of our century, both by its splendor and the quality of the music.

Romeo and Juliet Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1 - Prologue

Romeo follows Rosalind in the morning, in hopes of sparking love. She gives him little attention, leaving him disappointed.

Scene 2 - Town Scene

Two of the prominent families of Verona, the Capulets and the Montagues, mix with the tension of rivalry in the air. Feelings come to a head when Tybalt, from the Capulet family, tries to force a Montague woman to kiss him. All are drawn into the brawl until Escalus, the Prince of Verona, stops the fight and orders the families to end their longstanding feud.

Scene 3 - Juliet's bedroom

The Nurse looks for Juliet in her bedroom. Juliet soon returns and laughs with her beloved Nurse, teasing and dancing with girlish abandon. Lady Capulet arrives with the dress Juliet is to wear at the ball, and introduces Paris, a favored young suitor from a nearby city.

Scene 4 - Entrance to Capulet home

Guests, including Rosalind, are welcomed into the house by Lord Capulet. Tybalt and his friends enter the house. They are followed discretely by Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio, members of the Montague family, who connive to join the Capulet ball disguised with masks.

Scene 5 - The Ball

At the ball Juliet dances with her cousin Tybalt, Paris and her friends during a formal dance led by Lord and Lady Capulet. She sees Romeo for the first time. Tybalt suspects the guest is Romeo and tries to intervene but Lady Capulet stops him. The guests dance again, Lady Capulet dancing with Romeo and Tybalt with Juliet. At the end of the dance, Romeo pulls Juliet away from the group. Lady Capulet holds back Tybalt from interfering and finishes the dance with Tybalt. Romeo and Juliet leave the ballroom together. Mercutio, fearing Tybalt will follow Romeo and Juliet, stops Tybalt by dancing and joking around him. Romeo and Juliet return, and Tybalt is finally able to expose Romeo. He tries to start a fight but is stopped by Lord Capulet.

Scene 6 - The Balcony scene

Romeo finds his way to Juliet's garden, where he sees her on her bedroom's balcony deep in thought. Hearing someone, she descends into the garden and is surprised by Romeo. They finally have the chance to express their love for each other.

Act II

Scene 1 - Carnival

The people of Verona celebrate at a carnival with a Tarantella and other festive dances. Two gypsies arrive with Mercutio and Benvolio, and read their palms. One of the gypsies grabs Romeo's palm, but fears what she sees in it. Juliet's Nurse arrives, searching for Romeo to deliver a note from Juliet. Finally Romeo reads tehe letter and gives a message to the Nurse to meet him at Friar Lawrences chapel. After getting Romeo's reply from the Nurse, Juliet leaves to see Friar Lawrence.

Scene 2 - The Chapel

Romeo arrives at the chapel and tells Friar Lawrence he is in love. Friar Lawrence becomes concerned when Romeo tells him who exactly he plans to marry. Juliet arrives and is reunited with Romeo. Witnessing the sincerity of their love, Friar Lawrence agrees to marry them. After a short but emotional ceremony, the wedded couple go their separate ways.

Scene 3 - Carnival

In the meantime, the carnival festivies have continued. Tybalt, looking for revenge, seeks Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio. Benvolio tries to stop Mercutio from fighting with Tybalt. With his secret relationship to the Capluet family in his thoughts, Romeo intervenes, offering peace and friendship to Tybalt. Tybalt refuses and starts a fight with Mercutio. Both Romeo and Benvolio try to stop the fight. In spite of their efforts, Mercutio is mortally wounded by the enraged Tybalt. Mercutio attempts to joke about his injury, but soon dies in Romeo's arms. Romeo, consumed with grief, seeks revenge and provokes Tybalt to fight, and kills him. Lady Capulet arrives and is driven to madness by Tybalt's death. She tries to kill the distressed Romeo, who finally realizes the consequences of his action. Escalus banishes Romeo from Verona.

Act III

Scene 1 - Juliet's Bedroom

With Juiliet asleep by his side, Romeo awakens and prepares to leave Verona. He bids a sad farewell to Juliet and departs. The nurse enters with Juliet's dress, announcing Lord and Lady Capulet, who arrive with Paris. Lord Capulet tells Juliet she is to be married to Paris, and she refuses. A quarrel erupts between Lord Capulet and Juliet. The Nurse manages to stop Lord Capulet from striking Juliet in his anger. After Lord and Lady Capulet leave with Paris, Juliet decides to go to Friar Lawrence for advice.

Scene 2 - Friar Lawrence's Apothecary

Juiliet arrives at Friar Lawrence's apothecary and tries to kill herself out of despair. He stops her, and decides to give her a potion that will bring her to a condition resembling death for two days, giving her a way to escape her impending marriage to Paris and affording enough time for Romeo to return and rescue her.

Scene 3 - Juliet's Bedroom

Juliet returns to her room and hides the potion under her pillow. When Lord and Lady Capulet enter with Paris and the Nurse, Juliet fakes her consent to the marriage. After they leave, Juliet drinks the potion, hallucinating under its effects, and collapses onto her bed.

Scene 4 - Juliet's Garden

Seranade of Paris, with Juliet's two friends and friends of Tybalt.

Scene 5 - Juliet's Bedroom

The Nurse enters and tries to awaken Juliet. Hearing the Nurse's cries, Lord and Lady Capulet enter with Paris, Juliet's and Tybalt's friends. Lord Capulet rushes to the bed, in deep despair over Juliet's death.

Scene 6 - Outside Verona

Benvolio finds Romeo on his way to Padua and tells him of Juliet's death. Overwhelmed with grief, Romeo runs back to Verona.

Scene 7 - Capulet's Crypt

Juliet's body, surrounded by her family and friends, is placed in the Capulet family crypt near Tybalt's body. After everyone leaves, Paris remains alone near Juliet. On Romeo's arrival, Paris provokes a fight. Romeo kills Paris. Believing Juliet is truly dead, Romeo drinks poison and dies. Juliet awakens to find Paris and Romeo's lifeless bodies on the ground. Realizing Romeo has killed himself, Juliet takes her life using Paris's knife. At last Friar Lawrence arrives, too late to warn Romeo of Juliet's plans.